From the beginning of The Crystal Cave, Merlin's surround by horrible people who want to kill him. (We're looking at you, Gramps and Camlach.) Given all that danger, you might expect Merlin to be a fearful kind of guy. He's certainly urged by Cerdic to act like the ring-dove and run away whenever there's danger, after all. But Merlin finds it hard not to act like the falcon that he's named after.
What's the secret to his bravery? Well, Merlin tells us that it's hard to be afraid when you straight up know you aren't going to die. Hey, second sight has its advantages. In fact, Merlin is really only vulnerable in two situations:
- Any situation having to do with Ambrosius or Niniane.
- Any situation having to do with creepy old stones or powers he can't understand.
That's a pretty limited list. And it's a good thing, too, since Merlin's too busy acting on behalf of Fate to have time to deal with fear.
Questions About Fear
- In what instances does Merlin feel fear?
- How does fear play into Merlin's relationship with "the god"?
- Why does Merlin reject Keridwen? What's he afraid of?
- Why does Merlin feel fear when he's brought before Vortigern?
Chew on This
Merlin fears visits from "the god" because they strip him of his identity.
Merlin feels fear when he approaches the old stones (Stonehenge, Killare, the standing stones in Brittany) because they represent a power he doesn't understand.